Carl & Sarah Friedel
LEAD PASTORS
PRIMARY MINISTRY FOCUS - VISION/ DISCIPLESHIP/ TEACHING/ WORSHIP
May 7, 2024
Dear Berean Members and Family,
It is with mixed emotions that I will be stepping down from my position as the Lead Pastor of Berean Assembly of God. Our family will continue to live here in Springfield, but I have accepted a new and different role as the High School Principal of a Christian School in Eugene where Sarah has been teaching at for the past two years. That relationship has provided an opportunity for us to step into a new season together where we hope to invest, through Christian Education, into the lives of upcoming generations, and to support families who are navigating the task of raising their daughters and sons to embrace God’s presence and plans for their lives. Our final Sunday with you here in worship at Berean will be on May 26th, 2024.
This has been a difficult decision that Sarah and I have labored over in prayer and processing for months leading up to now. As I stepped into a sabbatical in March and April. Taking the time away has helped me to set a pace that is more harmonious with the priorities of my calling in this season. The time away has also helped me to clarify new desires being cultivated within me for a fresh start in a new and different role. Berean is a wonderful group of God’s people, and It took me a long time to concede to the reality that it was time for me to step out. I am excited about our new adventure. Still we wrestled with the prospect of leaving Berean and feeling the weight of responsibility and investment with the people of our church, who we love. In my personal prayer over this I began to feel peace in my decision to accept this new job opportunity. That doesn’t change our love for you as our brothers and sisters, but it does change our role in your lives. I know that transitions like these can be a source of hurt, but it is not my heart to cause any of you to feel hurt. No again I will reiterate, we love you. This is simply just the right decision for us right now to pursue this new chapter in our lives.
In our time here as your Pastor’s God has done some wonderful things. We have been able to participate in many beautiful moments together; whether it be times of worship, serving people in our community, outreach events, laboring together to update our campus, or just simple heartfelt personal conversations. There have been challenges as well; losing loved ones who have passed away, negotiating our way through the pandemic, wrestling with finances and change, etc. God has used even those hard things to shape us and make us more like Him and more dependent upon Him. He has been so faithful. I know that I have grown and am a better person for having been a part of Berean for these past few years together. I appreciate how many of you have been a positive influence on my family in so many ways and have cared for us, and especially most recently for me as I took this sabbatical time away. It has helped me to gain greater clarity, focus and direction on my relationship with God our Father and with the good things that He is cultivating in my own soul. I know that He has good plans for all of us, even (and maybe especially) in those harder seasons. God is in control.
We love you and hope that in the next weeks we will be able to bring good and healthy closure to our season as your pastors, and we also hope that you will always consider us your friends. We will be praying for you all that God will continue to supply your needs and will guide you with His wisdom as you determine the future of Berean and its leadership moving forward. Berean has a wonderful group of men and women on our Church Board as well as great staff and volunteer leaders who have a heart for Jesus and His church. I am so thankful to have served with such amazing people. I have a lot of confidence in them as they navigate this season prayerfully together with the support of our leadership at the Oregon Ministry Network of the Assemblies of God. We hope the very best of His blessings for this Church Body and for each of you personally.
In Him,
Carl and Sarah Friedel
Lead Pastors
May 7, 2024
Dear Berean Members and Family,
It is with mixed emotions that I will be stepping down from my position as the Lead Pastor of Berean Assembly of God. Our family will continue to live here in Springfield, but I have accepted a new and different role as the High School Principal of a Christian School in Eugene where Sarah has been teaching at for the past two years. That relationship has provided an opportunity for us to step into a new season together where we hope to invest, through Christian Education, into the lives of upcoming generations, and to support families who are navigating the task of raising their daughters and sons to embrace God’s presence and plans for their lives. Our final Sunday with you here in worship at Berean will be on May 26th, 2024.
This has been a difficult decision that Sarah and I have labored over in prayer and processing for months leading up to now. As I stepped into a sabbatical in March and April. Taking the time away has helped me to set a pace that is more harmonious with the priorities of my calling in this season. The time away has also helped me to clarify new desires being cultivated within me for a fresh start in a new and different role. Berean is a wonderful group of God’s people, and It took me a long time to concede to the reality that it was time for me to step out. I am excited about our new adventure. Still we wrestled with the prospect of leaving Berean and feeling the weight of responsibility and investment with the people of our church, who we love. In my personal prayer over this I began to feel peace in my decision to accept this new job opportunity. That doesn’t change our love for you as our brothers and sisters, but it does change our role in your lives. I know that transitions like these can be a source of hurt, but it is not my heart to cause any of you to feel hurt. No again I will reiterate, we love you. This is simply just the right decision for us right now to pursue this new chapter in our lives.
In our time here as your Pastor’s God has done some wonderful things. We have been able to participate in many beautiful moments together; whether it be times of worship, serving people in our community, outreach events, laboring together to update our campus, or just simple heartfelt personal conversations. There have been challenges as well; losing loved ones who have passed away, negotiating our way through the pandemic, wrestling with finances and change, etc. God has used even those hard things to shape us and make us more like Him and more dependent upon Him. He has been so faithful. I know that I have grown and am a better person for having been a part of Berean for these past few years together. I appreciate how many of you have been a positive influence on my family in so many ways and have cared for us, and especially most recently for me as I took this sabbatical time away. It has helped me to gain greater clarity, focus and direction on my relationship with God our Father and with the good things that He is cultivating in my own soul. I know that He has good plans for all of us, even (and maybe especially) in those harder seasons. God is in control.
We love you and hope that in the next weeks we will be able to bring good and healthy closure to our season as your pastors, and we also hope that you will always consider us your friends. We will be praying for you all that God will continue to supply your needs and will guide you with His wisdom as you determine the future of Berean and its leadership moving forward. Berean has a wonderful group of men and women on our Church Board as well as great staff and volunteer leaders who have a heart for Jesus and His church. I am so thankful to have served with such amazing people. I have a lot of confidence in them as they navigate this season prayerfully together with the support of our leadership at the Oregon Ministry Network of the Assemblies of God. We hope the very best of His blessings for this Church Body and for each of you personally.
In Him,
Carl and Sarah Friedel
Lead Pastors
Wesley Dinoff
Associate Pastor
PRIMARY MINISTRY FOCUS: MINISTRY TEAMS/ FACILITIES COORDINATION
Wesley Dinoff is an Associate Pastor here at Berean. Wesley leads and serves to train volunteers in various areas of our church including Media Team, Hospitality Team and Facilities Team. Wesley was raised and discipled here at Berean. He graduated from Northwest University with a Bachelor's degree in Pastoral Ministries in the Spring of 2023 and is credentialed as a minister with the Oregon Network of the Assemblies of God. Wesley loves the church and has a passion and a calling on his life to help the church accomplish its mission..
Wesley Dinoff is an Associate Pastor here at Berean. Wesley leads and serves to train volunteers in various areas of our church including Media Team, Hospitality Team and Facilities Team. Wesley was raised and discipled here at Berean. He graduated from Northwest University with a Bachelor's degree in Pastoral Ministries in the Spring of 2023 and is credentialed as a minister with the Oregon Network of the Assemblies of God. Wesley loves the church and has a passion and a calling on his life to help the church accomplish its mission..
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